Tag "Mark Esper"
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Duterte terminates Philippines troop pact with US
MANILA/WASHINGTON: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday announced the termination of a two-decade-old Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States (VFA), delivering on threats to downgrade an alliance important to US interests. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper called the decision “unfortunate”
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Trump: Military may discipline ousted aide Vindman
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said yesterday that the military may consider disciplining former National Security Council aide Alexander Vindman, who testified in Trump’s impeachment trial and was fired by the White House along with his twin brother. Vindman, an
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US says 34 troops diagnosed with traumatic brain injury after Iran strike
WASHINGTON: The Pentagon said yesterday that 34 service members had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury following missile strikes by Iran on a base in Iraq earlier this month, a number higher than the military had previously announced. President Donald
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Iran avenges Soleimani, fires missiles at Iraqi air base housing US forces
BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON: Iran launched a missile attack on US-led forces in Iraq in the early hours today, hours after the funeral of an Iranian commander whose killing in a US drone strike has raised fears of a wider war in the
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Pentagon chief denies US leaving Iraq, Tehran mourns slain commander
BAGHDAD/WASHINGTON: The US has no plans to pull its troops out of Iraq, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said yesterday, following reports by Reuters and other media of an American military letter informing Iraq officials about the repositioning of troops in
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Pentagon says will not break law of war, despite Trump saying otherwise
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper strongly suggested yesterday that the US military would not violate the laws of armed conflict by striking Iranian cultural sites, a move threatened by President Donald Trump. Asked whether he was willing to target cultural
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Saudi airman for training suspected in fatal shooting at Florida naval base
PENSACOLA: A Saudi Air Force second lieutenant killed four people and wounded eight others yesterday in an unexplained shooting rampage at a US Navy base in Florida where he was training, US officials told Reuters. Sheriff’s deputies responding to the
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US Navy chief fired for defying Trump on war criminal
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Mark Esper fired the Navy’s top civilian yesterday over his handling of the case of a Navy SEAL who was convicted of battlefield misconduct in Iraq and later won the support of President Donald Trump. Esper
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Pentagon to European allies: Pick up your own tabs
LONDON: US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that European nations should consider funding projects in their countries after the Pentagon diverted money to pay for a border wall with Mexico. The Pentagon said on Wednesday it would pull funding from
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